Every year, hundreds of thousands of children in the United States enter the foster care system, a challenging period often compounded by outdated management processes. Studies reveal that a significant majority of states struggle to find suitable adoptive families, leading to prolonged stays in foster care. This situation is further highlighted by research indicating that adults who spent time in foster care as children face higher rates of poverty, unemployment, and mental health issues, including post-traumatic stress disorder. Fragmented data and archaic information management systems used by social workers contribute significantly to these problems. The time-consuming process of searching multiple databases for crucial information hinders efficient placement decisions, overburdens social workers, and ultimately impacts the well-being of vulnerable children.
Recognizing these critical issues, the Washington Department of Social and Human Services (DSHS) initiated a groundbreaking Children’s Administration-GIS Pilot Project. This innovative approach, born from collaboration between DSHS, Esri, and Scientific Technologies Corporation (STC), aimed to integrate Geographic Information Systems (GIS) into the child welfare case management process. The goal was to create a more robust system that would empower social workers with better tools for decision-making and ultimately improve outcomes for children in foster care.
The pilot project focused on leveraging the power of GIS analyst tools to address the spatial aspects inherent in foster care management. As Pat Brown, program manager for DSHS, explained, visualizing data through mapping could reveal crucial relationships between referrals, biological homes, foster homes, schools, and healthcare providers. This enhanced visualization promised to dramatically improve the safety, stability, and overall well-being of children in out-of-home care. STC conducted thorough needs assessments, interviewing social workers to understand their spatial information needs in placement decisions. The first step was consolidating disparate data into a centralized Oracle database, providing social workers with efficient, web-based access to comprehensive information.
However, the true innovation lay in the visual tools provided by GIS. Kenneth Nichols, administrator for the Division of Children and Family Services, emphasized GIS as “the best tool I’ve seen for helping us protect vulnerable kids.” ArcIMS, a key component of the system, enabled spatial representation of critical placement data. By overlaying different data layers, social workers could perform overlay and proximity analyses, gaining a comprehensive understanding of a child’s environment. This allowed them to effectively track children within the foster system and analyze their geographic relationships to families, schools, community services, transportation, and other essential resources.
Neal F. Cotner, a Region 2 Social Work supervisor, highlighted that the mapping system introduced “a new dimension in social work practice” by presenting a graphic and cohesive view of children and their surroundings. The system allowed for layer-by-layer analysis, customizable to the social worker’s needs. Address geocoding was completed using ArcView and the ArcGIS StreetMap extension. Furthermore, the system incorporated “acetate” layers, enabling caseworkers to add non-geocoded but relevant information, such as locations of relatives, friends, medical facilities, and registered sex offenders. These layers could be toggled on or off, providing flexible and context-rich visualization. Spatial analysis also facilitated the identification of foster homes within specific distances of a child’s school district, minimizing disruptions to their education and environment.
The success of the pilot project demonstrated the vital role of updated child care management systems integrated with GIS analyst tools. These tools empower caseworkers to make informed and rapid placement decisions, ultimately benefiting children in care. Washington’s pioneering efforts could pave the way for nationwide foster care management reform, offering hope for improved outcomes and brighter futures for vulnerable children. As Mary Herrick, who spent years in foster care, aptly stated, community responsibility and innovative solutions like GIS are crucial for ensuring future generations of foster children experience better lives.
